Long Island, New York, is not known for having many tall buildings. As a suburban region, residents and local governments have generally opposed proposals to construct tall buildings, to distinguish it from neighboring Queens and Brooklyn, which are geographically part of Long Island but are part of New York City. Most of the tallest buildings were constructed by government entities, who are exempt from local zoning regulations.
Long Island has one building taller than, the Stony Brook University Hospital tower, and at least four other buildings taller than 200 feet, including Nassau University Medical Center and the Alfonse M. D'Amato United States Courthouse. Long Island has no cluster of high-rises dense enough to create an urban landscape, although there are regions with a larger number of scattered high-rises. A number of non-building structures are also prominent, such as the 620feet stacks of the Northport Power Station.
This article covers buildings in Nassau County and Suffolk County. Buildings in Queens and in Brooklyn are listed in their own articles, as the New York City boroughs are conventionally excluded from cultural definitions of Long Island.
Long Island has few tall buildings, in contrast to neighboring New York City. Long Island's identity as the birthplace of suburbia involves a desire to maintain the opposite of an urban landscape, with a flat landscape where high-rises are seen to be eyesores that clash with their surroundings, and even three-story buildings can provoke opposition.[1] This has been characterized as a desire to prevent Long Island from being "Queens
It has been noted that since most buildings are lower than the trees, views from the few tall buildings consists almost of treetops punctuated by water towers. The buildings themselves are generally regarded as being architecturally undistinguished.
As of 1974, there were 107 municipal zoning codes on Long Island, most of which limited buildings to four stories; in 2016 there were 175 zoning and building districts, stymieing the construction of tall buildings. Most tall buildings on Long Island have been built by the state or county rather than private developers, as they are exempt from these local codes. The opposition to high-rises also had a racial element, being stereotypically associated with minority residents.
While Long Island has no cluster of high-rises dense enough to create an urban landscape, there are regions with a larger number of scattered high-rises. One is the region in and around northern Uniondale in central Nassau County, including Hofstra University's library and six dormitory buildings, Nassau University Medical Center, Nassau Community College, four office buildings, and a hotel. Another cluster of mid-rise apartment buildings is along the waterfront in Long Beach.
A handful of tall buildings are part of former state psychiatric institutions scattered around Suffolk County, including Edgewood State Hospital (now demolished), Kings Park Psychiatric Center, and Pilgrim Psychiatric Center.
Long Island also has several non-building structures, including broadcast antennas, smokestacks, and water towers. The most prominent of these are the four 620-foot stacks of the Northport Power Station, and other power plants constructed by the Long Island Lighting Company.
In the mid 20th century, Democrats generally favored more high-rises, while Republicans opposed them. In the late 2000s, the Lighthouse Project proposal to construct a 60-story tower, later changed to two 30-story towers, near Nassau Coliseum was vigorously opposed.[3]
The 21st century saw the beginning of a movement in certain regions towards transit-oriented development around Long Island Rail Road stations, with 11,000 housing units approved in the nine years preceding 2016. The villages of Hempstead and Mineola were seen as being particularly receptive to taller residential buildings, along with Great Neck Plaza, Glen Cove, Long Beach, Farmingdale, Ronkonkoma, Riverhead, and Riverside. On the other hand, the proposed Nassau Hub development surrounding Nassau Coliseum is envisioned as a "walkable, engaging suburban downtown" with no buildings over 100 feet.[4] Increasing the number of rental units, which are rare in the region, was seen as important to attracting young adults and thus employers, as well as retaining older residents who might otherwise relocate to Florida.
This table lists buildings higher than . A building is defined as a structure with walls and a roof.
| data-sort-type="text" | Name (Former names) | Image | data-sort-type="number" | Height | data-sort-type="number" | Floors | data-sort-type="number" | Opened | data-sort-type="text" | Location | Notes | data-sort-type="number" | Coordinates | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stony Brook University Hospital | 360feet | 16 | 1976 | Stony Brook | Tallest building in suburban Long Island, Suffolk County, and Town of Brookhaven | [5] [6] [7] [8] | ||||||||
| Nassau University Medical Center | 299feet | 19 | 1974 | East Meadow | Tallest building in Nassau County and Town of Hempstead | [9] [10] | ||||||||
| Alfonse M. D'Amato United States Courthouse | 240feet | 12 | 2000 | Central Islip | Tallest building in Town of Islip | [11] | ||||||||
| Jones Beach Water Tower | 231feet | N/A | 1929 | Jones Beach State Park | [12] | |||||||||
| Edgewood State Hospital Building 102 | 229feet | 13 | 1942 | Deer Park | Demolished; former tallest building in Town of Babylon | [13] [14] | ||||||||
| Robert Moses State Park Water Tower | 208feet | N/A | 1968 | Robert Moses State Park | [15] | |||||||||
| Kings Park Psychiatric Center Building 93 | 193feet | 13 | 1939 | Kings Park | Tallest building in Town of Smithtown | [16] [17] | ||||||||
| Hofstra University Constitution Hall | 184feet | 15 | 1967 | Uniondale | Second tallest building in the town of Hempstead | |||||||||
| Hofstra University Estabrook Hall | 184feet | 15 | 1967 | Uniondale | ||||||||||
| Hofstra University Enterprise Hall | 184feet | 15 | 1968 | Uniondale | ||||||||||
| Hofstra University Vander Poel Hall | 184feet | 15 | 1968 | Uniondale | ||||||||||
| AT&T Site Tower | 176feet | 11 | 1970 | Dix Hills | Tallest building in Town of Huntington | [18] | ||||||||
| RXR Plaza (EAB Plaza) | 175feet | 15 | 1983 | Uniondale | Two towers of equal height | [19] | ||||||||
| H. Lee Dennison Administration Building | 175feet | 12 | 1969 | Hauppauge | [20] [21] | |||||||||
| Hofstra University Alliance Hall | 171feet | 13 | 1966 | Uniondale | ||||||||||
| Hofstra University Bill of Rights Hall | 171feet | 13 | 1966 | Uniondale | ||||||||||
| St. Agnes Cathedral | 168feet | N/A | 1935 | Rockville Centre | [22] | |||||||||
| Cathedral of the Incarnation | 165feet | N/A | 1885 | Garden City | [23] | |||||||||
| Fire Island Lighthouse | 164feet | N/A | 1858 | Fire Island National Seashore | [24] | |||||||||
| Kings Park Psychiatric Center Building 7 | 160feet | 13 | 1966 | Kings Park | [25] [26] | |||||||||
| Long Island MacArthur Airport control tower | 159feet | 2011 | Ronkonkoma | At left in photo | [27] | |||||||||
| Nassau Community College Administrative Tower | 146feet | 12 | 1978 | Uniondale | [28] | |||||||||
| Hofstra University Axinn Library | 140feet | 11 | 1967 | Hempstead | [29] | |||||||||
| Long Island Marriott | 135feet | 11 | 1982 | Uniondale | ||||||||||
| North Shore University Hospital | 132feet | 10 | 1976 | Manhasset | [30] [31] | |||||||||
| 10 West Apartments (Avalon Towers) | 11 | 1990 | Long Beach | [32] [33] | ||||||||||
| One Third Avenue | 11 | 2016 | Mineola | Tallest building in Town of North Hempstead | [34] | |||||||||
| Glenwood Generating Station | 125feet | 6 | 1931 | Glenwood Landing | Demolished; height excludes stacks on roof of building | |||||||||
| The Omni | 122feet | 10 | 1990 | Uniondale | ||||||||||
| Long Beach Terrace | 10 | 1965 | Long Beach | Two towers | [35] | |||||||||
| Renaissance Condominiums | 10 | 1985 | Long Beach | [36] | ||||||||||
| Hyatt Regency Long Island | 10 | 1986 | Happauge | [37] | ||||||||||
| Seapointe Towers | 10 | 1988 | Long Beach | [38] | ||||||||||
| Islandia Marriott Long Island | 10 | 1988 | Islandia | Now Jake's 58 Casino Hotel | [39] [40] | |||||||||
| White Sands of Long Beach | 10 | 2004 | Long Beach | [41] | ||||||||||
| Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center | 120feet | 1959 | West Islip | [42] | ||||||||||
| Montauk Point Lighthouse | 110feet | N/A | 1796 | Montauk | Tallest building in Town of East Hampton | |||||||||
| Pilgrim Psychiatric Center Building 25 | 110feet | 10 | Brentwood | [43] | ||||||||||
| Pilgrim Psychiatric Center Buildings 81 and 82 | 110feet | 9 | Brentwood | Two towers | ||||||||||
| John P. Cohalan, Jr. Courthouse | 9 | 1992 | Central Islip | |||||||||||
| Courthouse Corporate Center | 9 | 2003 | Central Islip | [44] | ||||||||||
| The Financial Center | 9 | 1986 | East Meadow | |||||||||||
| Garden City Hotel | 9 | 1983 | Garden City | [45] [46] | ||||||||||
| Wyndham Condominiums | 9 | 1989 | Garden City | Two buildings | ||||||||||
| Morgan Parc Apartments | 9 | 2020 | Mineola | |||||||||||
| Long Island MacArthur Airport old control tower | 107feet | 7 | 1963 | Ronkonkoma | At right in photo; demolished in 2015 | [47] [48] | ||||||||
| St. Patrick Catholic Church | 106feet | N/A | 1900 | Glen Cove | [49] | |||||||||
| Neptune Towers | 106feet | 10 | 1968 | Long Beach | [50] | |||||||||
| Belmont Park Grandstand | 105feet | N/A | 1968 | Elmont | [51] [52] | |||||||||
| Republic Airport control tower | 100feet | N/A | ca. 1970 | East Farmingdale | [53] | |||||||||
| 666 Old Country Road | 100feet | 8 | 1980 | Uniondale | [54] [55] | |||||||||
| UBS Arena | 100feet | N/A | 2021 | Elmont | [56] |
| data-sort-type="text" | Name | Image | data-sort-type="number" | Height | data-sort-type="number" | Opened | data-sort-type="text" | Location | Notes | data-sort-type="number" | Coordinates | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WFTY-DT tower | 681feet | 1984 | Middle Island | Tallest structure on Long Island, Suffolk County, and Town of Brookhaven | [57] | |||||||
| WLNY-TV tower | 642feet | 1985 | Middle Island | |||||||||
| Northport Power Station | 620feet | 1967 | Fort Salonga | Tallest structure in Town of Huntington | ||||||||
| WEHM tower | 510feet | 1998 | Manorville | |||||||||
| American Tower tower | 500 | 2000 | Islip | Tallest structure in Town of Islip | ||||||||
| RCA Radio Central antennas | 450feet | 1921 | Rocky Point | Demolished | [58] | |||||||
| Port Jefferson Power Station | 434feet | 1948 | Port Jefferson | [59] | ||||||||
| KeySpan weather tower | 420feet | 1973 | Jamesport | Tallest structure in Town of Riverhead | ||||||||
| KeySpan weather tower | 420feet | 1973 | Wading River | |||||||||
| Univision tower | 414feet | 2014 | Central Islip | |||||||||
| Grandview Development tower | 393feet | 2006 | Hauppauge | |||||||||
| Covanta Hempstead (American Ref-Fuel) | 382feet | 1989 | Uniondale | Tallest structure in Nassau County and Town of Hempstead | [60] [61] | |||||||
| Suffolk County Police Department tower | 380feet | 1998 | Hauppauge | |||||||||
| Village of Greenport tower | 377feet | 1997 | Greenport | Tallest structure in Town of Southold | ||||||||
| WHLI towers | 361feet | 1985, 2006 | Hempstead | Two towers | [62] | |||||||
| Altice USA tower | 360feet | 1969 | Greenport | |||||||||
| Altice USA tower | 353feet | 1969 | East Hampton | Tallest structure in Town of East Hampton | ||||||||
| High-Tower Communications tower | 350feet | 1993 | Farmingville | |||||||||
| E. F. Barrett Power Station | 350feet | 1963 | Barnum Island | |||||||||
| Suffolk County Water Authority tank | 341feet | 2006 | Stony Brook | |||||||||
| Pinnacle Towers tower | 329feet | 1965 | Dix Hills | |||||||||
| WWSK tower | 327feet | 1998 | Brentwood | |||||||||
| Altice USA tower | 327feet | 1966 | Riverhead | |||||||||
| Altice USA tower | 327feet | 1969 | Southampton | Tallest structure in Town of Southampton | ||||||||
| WALK-FM tower | 327feet | 2002 | Farmingville | |||||||||
| Communications Leasing tower | 325feet | 1982 | Plainview | Tallest structure in Town of Oyster Bay | ||||||||
| WNET tower | 325feet | 2004 | Plainview | |||||||||
| WBWD tower | 324feet | 1969 | Islip | |||||||||
| Communications Leasing tower | 320feet | 1975 | Plainview | |||||||||
| Mackay Radio Tower | 319feet | 1995 | Napeague | |||||||||
| American Towers tower | 310feet | 1957 | Sag Harbor | |||||||||
| WRCN-FM tower | 308feet | 1982 | Manorville | |||||||||
| AT&T tower | 308feet | 1996 | Noyack | |||||||||
| Communications Leasing tower | 305feet | 1985 | Selden | |||||||||
| Catholic Faith Network tower (Telicare tower) | 304feet | 2004 | Central Islip |
| data-sort-type="text" | Name | Image | data-sort-type="number" | Height | data-sort-type="number" | Opened | data-sort-type="text" | Location | Notes | data-sort-type="number" | Coordinates | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glenwood Generating Station | 265feet | 1931 | Glenwood Landing | Demolished | [63] | |||||||
| Wardenclyffe Tower | 187feet | 1901 | Shoreham | Demolished; built by Nikola Tesla | [64] | |||||||
| AN/FPS-35 radar tower | >118feet | 1960 | Montauk | Concrete base is high Dish height is | [65] [66] | |||||||
| Great South Bay Bridge | 1954 | Great South Bay | ||||||||||
| Fire Island Inlet Bridge | 1964 | Fire Island Inlet |